Faced with complaints about a band of so-called Naked Guys
gathering daily in the Castro District, Supervisor Scott Wiener
introduced legislation last month to ban public nudity citywide, except
for at permitted festivals and parades.

"This legislation has strong support in the community," Wiener said
to kick off the debate before Tuesday's vote. "I'm talking about support
from everyday citizens who live and work in this wonderful
neighborhood."

The stricture wasn't the
brainchild of business owners, as some naturists have claimed. Nor did
straight couples with children raise a fuss about freedom of expression —
and freedom from clothing — in the heart of gay San Francisco.

"The dominant demographic expressing concern is gay men," Wiener told
his colleagues as he implored them to expand on an earlier ordinance
requiring clothing in restaurants and a barrier between naked bodies and
public seating.

Until recently, officials generally had turned the other cheek to
questions of public nudity — particularly when the sightings of
sandal-clad men with all-body tans around the Castro district were sporadic.

Then two years ago, when
Jane Warner Plaza was dedicated at the intersection of Castro and Market
streets, the number of Naked Guys grew. And so did the complaints, from
gay men who live in the area and shop owners near the gathering spot, which
eventually was dubbed the "Buff Stop."

Wiener's attempt at regulation
last year banned nudity in restaurants and established the outdoor
seating guidelines. The goal was to bring a little civility back into
the practice of urban nudism. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.